In 1582, a papal bull introduced the Gregorian calendar, still used today by most of the world. Because it’s 11 days ahead of the Julian calendar, countries introducing it simply skipped a third of October, and if you scroll back far enough in the iPhone calendar app you can see it change

Bangkok’s Elephant Building and the BTS Skytrain passing by in the evening

Sriracha Shinto Shrine ⛩️

Sriracha Thailand Post Office

Yeah, hi5 was a thing in Thailand. By 2009 when me and my friends were in university, many moved over to Facebook.

New: A judge in Washington has ruled images from Flock surveillance cameras are public records and that anyone can request them. Highlights the pervasiveness of this tech and just how much surveillance is being done. Very notable ruling www.404media.co/judge-rules-...

Hm now who else does that sound like

It is now Wikipedia official en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katie_W...

Remember to support local news. And ask officials what they are doing with all that dynamite. Otherwise we might be blissfully unaware of stuff like this.

I’ve been using the new iPhone 17 for about a month and I miss the Touch ID from my SE. Face ID fails during three common cases. Nighttime: I’m near sighted so I often pick up and hold it too close. Glancing at phone on table: angle is too acute Unlock during pull from pocket vs holding it right.

Thailand’s second newest intercity motorway, the 96-kilometer long M81, connects Bang Yai (at Bangkok’s western outer ring road) and Kanchanaburi. We were so excited when plans to build it were announced back in 1997.

Typography lovers: this discussion about the poor kerning of Trumps latest garish installation is truly joyous!

THIS IS NOT A DRILL TRANSIT RIDERS HAVE TAKEN OVER THE CITY OF SEATTLE

Piloting is a means of delay when you don’t have the political will for progress.

Like an idol, the Suica Penguin is graduating (retiring) in 2026 after 25 years of adorning JR East’s IC card, numerous ad campaigns, and mascot merchandise.

Good to know Thailand’s wireless emergency alert system now works. This alert is about flood impact from high discharge rate in the Chao Phraya river and tidal surge causing water levels to rise in the Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani areas.

Wow! I am currently experiencing serious underwater-seismometer-envy. This is so cool.

What‘s happening to Japan? Let’s ask these bears what’s up. … 🐻 Chiba will soon fall to us.

Nice article in the Wisconsin paper. captimes.com/opinion/john...

It cost us 108 baht/person to ride the MRT Pink Line + BTS Sukhumvit Line from Nonthaburi to downtown Bangkok. Round trip for two is 432 baht or half a tank of gas. Parking at the mall is free with validation. It takes just as long or faster even with traffic. They don’t make it easy to not drive.

"According to the publication, the communications could demonstrate willful infringement, potentially leading to enhanced damages of up to $150,000 per work, a massive increase from just $750." The fact that it was ever at $750 is a slap in the face.

One aspect of US political history that I think is underplayed is that on several measures—health care, housing, transportation, basic assistance—by the late 60s/early 70s, the nation was headed in a similar direction as European social democracies. Domestic policy was ambitious & liberal.

this looks like a trick daffy duck would put up to get bugs bunny into "the oval office"

After the U.S. ended de minimis exemptions for import taxes this year, Japan and Thailand are following suit in 2026. All three countries cite the same reason, unfair competition from Chinese online retailers like Shein and Temu and goods that often do not meet local safety standards or are illegal.

Isn't she glorious

The Airport Rail Link connecting BKK Suvarnabhumi Airport with central Bangkok will accept EMV contactless payment from Nov 8, the Department of Rail Transport announced at a press event today. The setup looks even jankier than the MRT Pink/Yellow lines but still better than BTS having none.

Seattle's 1989 Breda dual-mode articulated tunnel buses were also unreliable and overweight. They never ordered more beyond the initial 236-coach fleet. Though somehow, they found a second life as pure trolleybuses until finally retiring in October 2016.

What's so inspiring about Singapore is that you can have a world-class mass transit system, high-rise public housing, incredibly smart land use, extremely expensive car registration taxes, you can have all that, and still have an unremarkable car-centric street-level pedestrian experience.

Kind Giant Panda🐼 ジャイアントパンダちゃんと待ち合わせですっ☆

Bangkok plans to launch daily fare capping on the SRT Red and MRT Purple lines. Riders paying with EMV contactless will be charged no more than 40 baht per day to use both lines. Those lines are the only ones with subsidized 20 THB fares, which the previous government planned to expand to all lines.

These three floors will make me bankrupt…

If you read his candidate statement in the voter guide it seems to make sense.

Morning bike ride around the neighborhood. There were cats.

Thursday afternoon toad

The Dan Ryan Expressway, by Wesley Willis American, 1963-2003 1986 More info: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/204579

👀 rumors from the International Luxury Travel Market event is that BKK Suvarnabhumi airport is in talks with Alaska Airlines, which has been expanding internationally since its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, to start a direct Seattle-Bangkok flight.

In Thailand, seeing the price of gold posted at its numerous gold shops is as, if not more, common as seeing gas prices at gas stations. I noticed that the price went up over 10,000 THB per baht* compared to a month ago. *baht (unit of weight for gold = 15.244 g), same word as the currency

3 of the 4 top stories on the Bangkok Post cover today are all related in some way to the transnational scam centers in neighboring Cambodia and Myanmar.

I’ve only just taken a new look (since childhood) at manga published in Thai at the recent book expo and it feels like a whole new world again. Many series are ahead of their English releases or don’t have any English release at all. Prices more on par with original Japanese, like half US prices.

Siam has always been a melting pot and crossroads where East Asia, South Asia, Muslim and Western cultures come together. Their contributions can be seen in the food, the language, the people, and place names, like this MRT station in a Thai-Malay community born of a transport project from long ago.

Huh… I instantly recognized this old footage used in Wendover’s Amtrak video as Santa Barbara station, probably sometime in the 1980s. The background mountains, the tracks in the platform, the nearby buildings, the Superliner cars, etc.

Two cow cats battling for turf in my backyard making a ruckus

It’s great to see misguided mandates on public transit emissions go from a policy wonk topic, to getting real attention. $$$ goes further getting more people on transit than switching to costly and unreliable battery-only buses. missionlocal.org/2025/10/sfmt...

No but I have seen the “what if Lincoln accepted the 50 or so war elephants offered by the king of Siam”

I hauled 15 kg of books and sales equipment 1.5 km on foot in 30C night air from the QSNCC to Asok BTS station because the MRT Blue Line can’t be bothered to run sufficient service to serve the large event demand. That’s a wrap for the 30th National Book Expo!

Late blooming love comedy otaku who sometimes feels like he’s the main character of his own romcom or is he actually the side character!? (not a real light novel title)

This is what democracy looks like. #NoKings

Usually I’d jump at the chance to fly non-stop from Bangkok to Vancouver on Air Canada but this would be with my wife who has just got her immigrant visa and I did not like the CBP preclearance experience at YVR earlier this year. So I’ll pass.

Last day of the 30th Thailand Book Expo, where my wife has been helping out at her friend’s booth.